Allan Blakeney
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Allan Emrys Blakeney (born 1925) was the Premier of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan's from 1971 to 1982, and leader of the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party.
Blakeney was a senior civil servant in Saskatchewan before entering politics and serving as a cabinet minister in the governments of Tommy Douglas and Woodrow S. Lloyd. As Minister of Health, he played a crucial role in the introduction of Medicare. In 1970, Blakeney succeeded Lloyd as leader of the Saskatchewan NDP which was then in opposition. In the 1971 provincial election, he led the party to power, defeating Ross Thatcher's conservative Liberal Party government.
Blakeney's government practiced state-led economic intervention in the economy. His government created a Crown corporation in the potash industry in an attempt to diversify the province's agrarian economy.
Blakeney played an important role in the federal-provincial negotiations that led to the 1982 patriation of the Canadian constitution. Blakeney's government was defeated in the 1982 provincial election, in its attempt to win a fourth successive term. It was defeated by the Progressive Conservative Party, led by Grant Devine.
He led the NDP into the 1986 provincial election in an unsuccessful attempt to return to the Premier's Office, and then retired from politics. He was succeeded as NDP leader by Roy Romanow.
Blakeney is also a past president of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association.
In 1992, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. In 2000, he was awarded the Saskatchewan Order of Merit.
| Preceded by: Ross Thatcher | Premiers of Saskatchewan 1971-1982 | Succeeded by: Grant Devine |